At Last
by FallingStar95
Summary: After the second Wizarding War, Harry and Ginny are faced with life's next challenges. Follow them from the end of Deathly Hallows up to the epilogue nineteen years later! Rated T for some swearing and romance. *-ON HIATUS-*
1. In Your Arms

Crying was not something Ginny Weasley often did. She was strong-willed and brave, and she rarely let her emotions show themselves through flurries of tears. And yet, here she sat on her bed, weeping openly. It had only been two days since Harry had defeated the evil Lord Voldemort, and Ginny was still mourning the death of her older brother, Fred. After the terrible year that had ensued at Hogwarts, she was thankful to be back in her own room at the Burrow. Laying in her familiar bed was a comforting notion, but it was not enough to chase away the nightmares that now haunted her. She was dreadfully tired, but she was too afraid to fall asleep. She would rather face insomnia than witness the horrific battle yet again in her nightmares. So she simply curled herself into a ball and sobbed in order to let out her sadness and keep herself awake.

On the other hand, Harry Potter was trying to fall asleep. He didn't want to mull over the last couple days' events any longer. He figured that dreaming was better than consciously thinking about the battle. He wanted to shut out the painful reality of it all, just for a few hours. He wanted to believe that those who had lost their lives fighting Voldemort had lived. Fred, Remus, Tonks, Dobby, Dumbledore, Sirius, but most of all, his parents, whom he had never even known. He even wished that Severus Snape had not passed. As much as he had despised him, he admired his bravery to deceive Voldemort for the greater good.

However, he couldn't sleep because his mind was still much too preoccupied. He couldn't stop thinking about his future. He had originally thought that he would be dead by this point, but he wasn't. What was he to do now? He still wanted to become an auror, he supposed, but he was much more concerned about his relationship with Ginny at the present moment. He sighed heavily and shook his head, as if trying to dislodge worried thoughts from his mind. He decided that he wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon, so he swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked out into the narrow hallway. He had gotten up with the intention of getting a glass of water, but he soon heard quiet weeping emanating from the other end of the hall. He recognized it immediately and slowly crept towards the closed door. He took a deep breath before knocking lightly.

"Ginny, it's me." He whispered. "Can I come in?"

Ginny jumped at the sound of Harry's voice, and she quickly stopped crying, using a fair amount of willpower to shut herself up. She contemplated telling him to go away, but she didn't even see the point anymore. He had already heard her sobbing. She couldn't hide anything else from him but her face. She wiped a few stray tears with the back of her hand and mumbled a choked "Yeah."

Harry pushed the door the door open to reveal Ginny, and he found her laying facedown across her bed, her face buried in a pillow. Harry didn't really know what to say to comfort her. Instead, he quietly closed the door and sat on the edge of her bed. Without a word, he gently laid a hand on her back and rubbed it back and forth in a constant, soothing motion.

At first, Ginny tensed at his touch, but she soon began to relax and sunk into her bed sheets with ease. After a couple of minutes, she turned her head to the side to face him. "I didn't want you to see me like this." She whimpered, looking up into his emerald green eyes.

Harry shook his head with a small smile. "Ginny, I'm not going to think any less of you, I promise." He assured her. "We're all grieving right now. We're all human."

Ginny sniffed and slowly sat up, moving closer to him. "I know, I know." She sighed halfheartedly. "It's just… everything's still sinking in. I don't know if I'm happy or sad, but I just want the pain to go away." She choked, trying to hold back sobs. "When will the pain go away?"

Harry felt his heart break as silent tears began to stream down her freckled face. He held his arms open for her as she began to cry once more.

Ginny couldn't help but fall into his embrace, laying her head against his chest as she wept. "I-I m-miss th-them, Harry." She sobbed. "Th-they didn't d-deserve to d-die!"

"I know." Harry whispered, trying to hold back tears as well. He was at a loss for comforting words, so he decided that maybe silence was the best method at that point. He slowly rocked them back and forth, tucking her head under his chin. He could feel her warm tears soaking through the thin fabric of his t-shirt, but he didn't care. "I know how much it hurts, Ginny. Trust me, I've been there." He assured her. "But we have to learn to move on with our lives. We have the rest of our lives to be happy, to live in safety. Think about all of our friends who passed. They didn't die in vain, Ginny. And they would want us to appreciate our freedom now as best as we can." He told her. "I'm not saying that the pain will disappear right away; it'll take some time. But after a little while, you'll know when you're ready to move on. And I'll be right there when you are ready." He said. Harry usually wasn't very good with words, and he wasn't sure how he had said all those things, but he had only spoken words from his heart.

Ginny sniffled and looked up at him. She could practically see the sincerity sparkling in his eyes. "Do you really mean that, Harry?" She asked quietly.

"I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true." He assured her, giving her a small smile.

Ginny returned the smile and wiped the last of her tears away. She moved closer to him and leaned into his side, enjoying the comfort that it brought her. He was here beside her, alive and well, and that was the greatest gift she could ask for.

As Ginny snuggled against his side, Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her in a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head. They sat quietly for a few minutes longer until Ginny broke the peaceful silence.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." Ginny said appreciatively, turning her head to press her lips against his stubbly cheek.

"You're welcome, Ginny." He replied, running his fingers through her smooth hair. "Now, let's get some sleep. I'm sure we both need it." He chuckled.

Ginny let out a quiet laugh in response, but as Harry stood to leave, she gripped his arm tighter. "Stay with me." She demanded. "Please, Harry." She added softly. "I don't want the nightmares to come back."

Harry smiled and made his way back towards her, climbing under the covers next to her. "What if your family catches us?" He breathed.

"I don't care." She whispered back. "I just want to spend this time with you."

Her words made Harry feel warm inside. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly so that her back was against his chest. He untangled one arm for a brief moment in order to take his glasses off and set them on her bedside table. He fumbled in the darkness to flip the switch on Ginny's small lamp, and they were soon enveloped in darkness. He laid his head beside hers and closed his eyes.

Ginny smiled as he began to fall asleep beside her. She took a deep breath and whispered to the darkness around her. "I love you, Harry."

A couple seconds passed before she heard the response behind her. "I love you too, Ginny." Harry breathed. "Good night."

"Good night." Ginny replied, closing her eyes.

Both of them slept peacefully that night. They were finally safe in each other's arms.


	2. Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Ginny woke up the next morning and watched as the newfound rays of sunlight began to stream through her windows, bathing her bed sheets in a radiant, golden glow. She reached her arm out to close the blinds, and as she did so, she felt Harry stir in his sleep beside her, tightening his arms around her middle. Ginny smiled to herself and slowly turned around to face him. He looked so peaceful as he slept. Before Voldemort's recent defeat, Ron had said that Harry had often tossed and turned through the night, sometimes talking in his sleep. Ginny was glad to see him finally at ease. He deserved some tranquility after all he had been through.

She eyed his dark hair, which was even untidier than usual, if that was possible. She laughed quietly to herself and ran her fingers softly through the tousled wisps of hair that covered his head. As she gently brushed her fingers through it, his lightening scar was visible on his forehead, a symbol that would last with him the rest of his life. She delicately kissed the faded red mark, as if she could erase all of the terrible events of his past. Without waking Harry up, a small smile spread across his sleeping face. Ginny grinned in response and snuggled deeper into his chest. After all they had recently been through, Ginny had craved this feeling of security and safety. Wrapped in Harry's strong arms, she had finally found it.

After a few more minutes of peaceful silence, Harry's eyes flickered open once he had regained some much-needed sleep. Ginny smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Good morning, sleepyhead." She greeted him.

Harry smiled. "How did you sleep?" He asked her, running his hand through her hair.

"I slept perfectly. No nightmares at all." She told him. "All thanks to you, of course." She added with a smile.

Harry blushed a light shade of red, which Ginny thought was adorable. "It was nothing." He assured her modestly.

Ginny shook her head. "No, Harry. If you hadn't been here, I couldn't imagine how many nightmares I would have had." She argued. "I slept so well because I feel so much safer with you here. I know it sounds silly, but I don't want to be by myself. It scares me."

Harry kissed her forehead. "Look, I know it's going to take some time to recover, but it's going to get better, I promise." He assured her. "And if you ever need someone to talk to, or if you just need some company, I'm here for you." He told her sincerely.

Ginny felt like the luckiest girl in the world at that moment. She smiled softly as she leaned into Harry, laying her head on his arm. His other arm wrapped around her back, holding her close. "Thank you, Harry." Ginny said gratefully.

"Anytime, Gin." Harry replied.

Ginny grinned at the nick name and rolled over a bit to see his face. As they made eye contact, Ginny realized that he hadn't put on his glasses yet. She fished them off the side table and unfolded them, sliding them carefully onto his face. "You're not Harry without them." She chuckled.

Harry smiled, a warm feeling bubbling up inside him at her words. His smile slowly faded, however, as he took a deep breath, gently laying his hand on the back of her head. Slowly, he leaned his head towards her until they were a mere inch apart. Both of them closed their eyes and broke the gap between them, trying to put all of their unspoken feelings into the kiss.

Ginny smiled against his lips, clasping her hands around his neck. She let one of her hands wander upwards, letting her fingers entangle themselves in his messy hair. She shivered as she felt Harry's hands sliding across her back.

Too soon for both of them, they broke apart for breath, looking into each other's eyes. Harry lifted his hand to cup her cheek and smiled. "You're so beautiful, Ginny." He told her softly, stroking his thumb down her cheek.

Ginny felt the heat rising up into her face, and she hoped that the blush wasn't too noticeable. She had never really thought of herself as particularly pretty, but Harry made her feel as if she were. She smiled and pressed herself closer to him. "I love you, Harry Potter." She said softly.

Harry snaked his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Ginny." He replied. He couldn't think of a time when he had been happier than this. A wide grin spread across his face as he began to kiss her. First on her forehead, then her cheek, her nose, and anywhere else on her face he could kiss.

Ginny couldn't help but giggle at his playful antics. She usually wasn't one to giggle, but Harry brought out sides of her she never even knew existed. She was grateful that he brought out the very best in her.

Harry smiled at the sound of her laugh. It felt like ages since he had last heard it. "I love your laugh." Harry said with a smile, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers. "I haven't heard you laugh like that in so long."

Ginny grinned. "It's been even longer since I've heard you laugh." She countered, resting her chin on his chest.

Harry smirked. "When has my laugh ever amused you?" He asked her, genuinely curious.

"Since I met you." She admitted. "There have been so many trials and so much pain over the last few months that nobody's had anything to laugh at. When you laugh, it just used to remind me that it was still possible to be happy during the hard times. And now that the war's ended, I hope that we'll be able to laugh together like we all used to." She told him.

Then, she thought of something. A devious grin spread across her face as she pounced on him and began tickling his neck.

Harry couldn't help but burst out laughing, trying to fight her off. "You asked for it, Ginny Weasley!" He roared obnoxiously. He rolled over so that he was the one pinning her down, and now _he_ was the one doing the tickling.

Ginny couldn't stop laughing as his fingers attacked her everywhere, along her neck, her arms, and even her feet. "_Harry!_" She screeched, trying to wriggle her way out. "_Stop it!_"

"Do you surrender, then?" He teased.

"_I surrender!_" She laughed, giving in. She panted as he finally quit tickling her. "You - are - a - _prat!_" She huffed.

Before Harry had a chance to respond, Ginny's bedroom door flew open to reveal a very confused, and somewhat angry, Ron. "What the _bloody hell _is going on in here?" He demanded as he eyed the two of them suspiciously.

Harry stammered to find the right words, but Ginny covered for him. "I was having nightmares last night, and I was afraid to be by myself, so Harry slept in the armchair over there last night." She lied, pointing to the piece of furniture. "Then, when I woke up this morning, I was feeling a bit down, so Harry was trying to cheer me up."

Ron didn't look convinced. "By jumping on you?"

Ginny blushed. "He wasn't doing anything _wrong_!" She assured him. "He was just… tickling me." She admitted.

Neither Ginny nor Harry could decipher the expression on Ron's face. He had probably known for a while that Ginny and Harry had somewhat of a connection, but he wasn't completely used to this sight yet. "Bloody weirdos…" He muttered, rolling his eyes as he walked out the door.

Once the door closed, Harry and Ginny exchanged a look before they burst out laughing again, collapsing back onto the bed.

Once they could finally catch their breath, Ginny sat up and hugged Harry tightly.

Harry returned the hug happily. "Feeling better now?" He asked her.

"Loads." Ginny replied. "Laughter is the best medicine, isn't it?"


	3. Meeting Teddy

Harry had been pacing the living room floor for nearly an hour. Any minute now, Andromeda Tonks would arrive, and she would be bringing Teddy Lupin with her. She had wanted Harry to meet his godson. Harry also wanted to see Teddy, but he was afraid to take on his newfound responsibilities. He had never handled children before, much less babies!

"Oh, Harry, dear, stop your worrying." Mrs. Weasley advised him. "It's going to be just fine. What are you so concerned about?"

"I have absolutely no experience with babies, Mrs. Weasey." Harry sighed. "What if he won't stop crying, or what if he doesn't like me? What if I drop him? I've never even held a baby before! Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "You're overreacting, Harry." She assured him. "C'mon, sit down and gather yourself a bit before they get here." She insisted, using her wand to slide an armchair under him. The incoming furniture knocked Harry's legs out from under him, causing him to fall into the squashy chair. Harry let out a sigh and laid his chin on his fist, anxiously tapping his foot.

Ginny, who had previously been studying in her room, came strolling down the stairs. "Have they come yet?" She asked, making her way over to where Harry was sitting.

"Yes, they came and left in a minute flat. It was a very short visit." Harry teased her with a small smirk.

Ginny lightly punched his shoulder, sitting on the arm of the chair. "What are you so strung up about?" She asked.

Harry shrugged. "What if I'm a terrible godfather?" Harry asked. "I don't know anything about babies. What if I'm a total joke?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and patted his shoulder. "Harry, you're getting yourself worked up over nothing." She assured him. "You're one of the kindest, gentlest people I've ever known. You'll be great with Teddy. I can already tell."

Harry smiled towards her and kissed her cheek. "Well, we'll see about that."

At that moment, there was a crack from outside, and there was a knock on the door. Harry and Ginny stood up to greet their guest, and they slowly opened the door.

There stood Andromeda smiling warmly at the pair of them. "Hello, Harry. Hello, Ginny." She greeted them. She held a small bundle in her arms, wrapped in a blue blanket.

Harry stepped to the side to allow her inside. "It's good to see you, Andromeda." He said with a smile.

"Same to you, Harry." She replied. However, Harry noticed the dark bags around her eyes and knew that she had to be exhausted from taking care of Teddy.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Harry suggested, pulling the armchair over for her.

"Thank you, Harry." She said, lowering herself into the chair. It seemed as if she was trying not to disturb the bundle in her arms.

Mrs. Weasley, hearing Andromeda's voice, came to see her. "Oh, it's so good to see you, Andromeda!" She greeted her warmly. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be lovely, Molly. Thank you." Andromeda replied.

As Mrs. Weasley disappeared into the kitchen, the small figure in Andromeda's arms began to wriggle. "Oh, Teddy's beginning to wake up." Andromeda told them.

Harry smiled nervously. "May I see him?" He asked.

"Of course. You are his godfather, after all." She said, holding the blanketed bundle out to Harry.

Harry made his arms into an awkward cradle, unsure how he was supposed to hold a baby. Ginny quickly reached over and adjusted his arms before Andromeda laid the baby in his hold.

"That's it. Mind his head." Andromeda reminded him kindly. "There you go, Harry."

Harry pulled the blanket back so he could see his godson's face, and he almost gasped audibly. Teddy Lupin had a face almost identical to his late mother's. However, he had inherited his father's mysterious grey eyes as well. Being a metamorphmagus, his hair was currently a very pretty shade of light indigo. The shocking similarities to both of his parents almost made Harry begin to tear up.

Teddy looked up at his godfather with wide, curious eyes, just looking at him for a while. Harry was surprised that Teddy didn't cry at the sight of a stranger holding him. On the contrary, Teddy soon began to gurgle happily, and he gave Harry a wide toothless smile.

Harry grinned back down at him. "Hi there, Teddy." He cooed, although it felt somewhat odd talking to a baby of five months.

Andromeda smiled down at her grandson. "I'm not surprised that he likes you." She told Harry. "This one loves all the attention he can get."

Ginny lightly began to play with his little bit of blue hair. "Oh, he's adorable!" She exclaimed.

At the sound of her voice, Teddy's eyes flashed to Ginny. He stared at her for a moment and then began to point to her, giggling and clapping his hands.

Harry smiled. "Apparently, he's taken a liking to you too, Gin." He observed, turning to face her. "Would you like to hold him?"

Ginny nodded, gently taking the baby from her boyfriend's arms. "You're so precious, Teddy. Yes, you are." She murmured to him.

Teddy smiled at her and then reached up towards her face. He caught a handful of her long, red hair and began to tug at it playfully.

Ginny gasped and turned to Harry. "Harry, could you untangle his hand?" She pleaded.

Harry laughed as he delicately unwove Teddy's tiny fingers from her hair. "Teddy seems to like your hair too." He chuckled.

Teddy made a whining noise to direct Harry and Ginny's attention back to him. When they turned back to look at him, they were astounded. Teddy closed his eyes and scrunched up in nose, and with a small pop, his hair color matched Ginny's.

Andromeda laughed. "My goodness, people could mistake him for a Weasley if he continues to do _that_."

Ginny laughed and passed Teddy back to Harry. As he was settled, Teddy began to stare up at Harry expectantly, making Harry wonder what to do. He turned to Andromeda. "He looks like he wants something."

Andromeda smiled. "He's waiting for you to entertain him." She chuckled.

Harry raised an eyebrow. He really had no idea how to entertain Teddy, but he figured he'd give it a go. He held Teddy in one arm, and he lightly bonked himself on the forehead with his other hand. He let out a dramatic wail and let his head hang to the side, his eyes closed and his tongue lolling out of his mouth for effect.

Teddy began to laugh hysterically at his godfather's silliness, clapping his hands with delight. Ginny laughed along with Teddy, happy to see Harry bonding so well with his godson. Harry was just thrilled that he possessed the ability to make Teddy happy. He continued to make funny faces at Teddy, and the baby continued to laugh at all of his antics. Harry grinned when he couldn't think of anything else to do, so he simply tickled Teddy's pudgy tummy, which caused Teddy squeal with laughter.

Harry was suddenly caught up with entertaining his godson, so Ginny and Andromeda continued to chat and drink tea while Harry continued to dramatically bonk himself in the head. Time continued to fly by until Andromeda turned her head towards the clock. "My, look at the time already. It's nearly time for Teddy's nap. We'd best be going." She insisted.

Harry nodded and looked back down at his godson, who hadn't stopped smiling. "Andromeda, I was thinking…" He began to say. "I'll probably be staying here for a while since I don't have anywhere else to go, and if it's alright with Ginny's parents, do you think Teddy could stay here sometimes? Maybe every other weekend or so?"

Andromeda smiled. "I'm sure that could be arranged, and it would certainly make Teddy happy. He already loves you."

Harry grinned. "I'll send you an owl after I ask Molly and Arthur about it." He told her.

"Alright, Harry." Andromeda agreed. She turned to Teddy and attempted to take him from Harry's arms. "C'mon, Teddy. Time to go." She crooned. Teddy, however, seemed to have other plans. He let out a small cry and clung to Harry's arm.

Harry smiled. "Go on, Teddy. I'll see you another day, okay?" He told him with a smile, relinquishing him to Andromeda. As Harry smiled at him, Teddy smiled back, allowing his grandmother to take him.

"Goodbye, Harry, Ginny. It was nice to see you again." Andromeda said. "I'm sure I'll see you both very soon."

Harry opened the door for Andromeda and waved to her and Teddy on their way out. "Goodbye." He called as they apparated away. Once they were gone, Harry closed the door behind them and turned to Ginny.

Ginny smirked as she faced him, her hands on her hips. "What did I tell you, Harry Potter? Nothing went wrong at all. Teddy loves you to death!" She gloated.

Harry grinned. "Okay, okay, I overreacted. I get it." He admitted.

Ginny nodded her head. "I knew you would be great with him." She said with a smile, kissing his cheek.

Harry wrapped his arm around her waist. "Do you think your parents will let him stay over here occasionally?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm sure they probably will." She assured him.

"Good." Harry said, relieved. "I already can't wait to see the little guy again."


	4. Of Ferris Wheels and Funnel Cake

"Harry, tell me where we're going!" Ginny Weasley pleaded. "Please, Harry!"

Harry laughed at her impatience and kissed her cheek. He had his hand covering her eyes as he walked her closer. He had figured that it was about time he took her on a proper date. "C'mon, Ginny. Can't anything be a surprise?" He teased. "You'll hear it soon enough."

"Hear what?"

"Shush! You won't be able to hear if you're not quiet." Harry snickered, leading her closer.

Once they came within earshot of their destination, Ginny furrowed her brow under Harry's hand. "I hear music… and screaming?" She observed. "And it smells like junk food." She added, wrinkling her nose.

Harry laughed. "It's a muggle thing." He assured her. "I wanted to take you on a date in the world where I grew up." He explained. "I know it's not that extravagant, but the Dursleys were forced to take me here when I was young along with Dudley and his friends. My usual babysitter was sick."

Ginny reached up and yanked at his hand. "Okay, let me see!" She insisted, wrenching it away from her face. Before her lay a brightly lit field, complete with a few tents, a few spinning contraptions with people whirling around on them, and many places that seemed to serve food. "Where are we, Harry?" She asked curiously.

"It's what muggles call a carnival. I never really got to enjoy it with the Dursleys, so I thought that I'd have a better time with you." He reasoned. "Sorry if it seems a bit… amateur, compared to the wizarding world."

Ginny smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "It's not amateur at all!" She told him. "To me, it's a brand new experience that I'm eager to share with you."

Harry grinned. "Well, c'mon, let's go!" He suggested, lacing his fingers through hers as they bounded towards the front gate.

Once they had stood in line, and Harry had paid for their entrance wristbands with a few green pieces of paper (which was apparently muggle money), they were admitted into the carnival. Ginny looked around her, somewhat in awe. "How do muggles come up with all this?" She wondered aloud. "They're very creative."

Harry chuckled and squeezed her hand. "What do you want to do first?" He asked her. "The night is yours."

Ginny looked around the crowded place and thought. "Hmmm… what's that called?" She asked Harry, pointing to a rotating wheel. It was brightly lit, and people were carried up and down the large circle of metal in little seats that held two people at a time.

Harry smiled. "That's a ferris wheel. Let's ride that first!" He agreed, pulling her towards the contraption. They waited in a short line for a couple of minutes before they were ushered into a seat. Ginny particularly enjoyed the lack of room, which meant that she and Harry were squeezed tightly together.

However, as the monstrous thing began to carry them upwards into the sky, she gripped his arm tightly. "Are you sure this thing is safe?" She questioned nervously, not entirely trusting that muggles could build a sturdy thing like this without magic.

Harry stretched his arm around her shoulders and nodded. "It's perfectly safe, Gin, I promise." He told her. "These things have been around for years."

Ginny chewed on her lip for another minute, but she soon began to feel at ease with the gentle motion. "I still think riding my broom is better." She commented.

Harry laughed. "Well, this is the closest experience that muggles can have to actually flying." He told her. "Shame they don't have anything like Quidditch."

Ginny smiled and moved closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder. "It still amazes me that everything's so normal now!" She exclaimed. "I can't believe the war's finally over with. I mean, you're the boy who lived, and you're out on a date! A few months ago, that would've sounded silly to anyone."

Harry grinned. "Well, I'm happy that I have more time to spend with you." He told her. "I missed you terribly while we were on the run."

Ginny wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I missed you too." She replied. "That was a painful year at Hogwarts. It didn't even feel like the same place anymore."

"I know." Harry said quietly. "But that's all over now. And your seventh year will be a lot better, I promise."

"Aren't you going to come with me?" She asked. "I mean, you never completed your own seventh year."

Harry shook his head. "Ron and I are going to be at Auror training after you go back to school. It's a six month process." He informed her.

Ginny sighed. "I'm going to miss you." She murmured. "You're going to be around at Christmas, right?" She asked.

"Of course I will! I wouldn't miss an opportunity to spend with you and your family." He assured her.

"Good." Ginny said, satisfied. "Will you be able to come see me when we go on Hogsmeade visits?" She asked curiously.

"Maybe." He contemplated. "If it doesn't interfere with training, I'll definitely try and come see you."

Ginny grinned. "You're pretty amazing, you know that?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "So I've been told," He muttered. "but I'm really not _that _special."

Ginny leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I disagree." She said in his ear. "You'll always be special to me."

Harry smiled and pulled her closer, pressing his lips to hers for a quick kiss. Soon afterwards, the ferris wheel gently came to a stop, and Harry and Ginny were let off the ride. "What do you want to do next?" Harry asked.

Ginny looked around curiously, taking everything in. "Hmm… how about we get something to eat? I'm starving." She suggested.

Harry nodded his head and led her over to one of the nearby booths. "What would you like?" He asked her.

Ginny studied the menu intently, but none of this muggle food sounded familiar. "Harry… what's a funnel cake?" She whispered in his ear.

Harry laughed and tried his best to describe it to her. "It's like a fried pastry with powdered sugar." He said. "It's actually really good. Would you like one?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "Sure! Why not?" She agreed. "I'm trying loads of new things tonight!"

Harry laughed and bought her a funnel cake with powdered sugar and cherry pie filling, knowing that cherries were her favorite fruit. Once Ginny took the plate into her hands, her eyes widened. "It's huge!" She exclaimed. "You're splitting it with me, Harry, or else I might explode!"

Harry grinned. "My pleasure!" He laughed, carefully ripping off a small chunk of the gooey dessert.

They sat at a nearby table as they began to devour the cake. Ginny hadn't really tasted anything quite like it before. "These muggles know how to eat!" She said with a grin.

Harry smiled. "Well, I'm glad you like it so much." He said. "We'll have to come here again sometime!"

Ginny smiled. "I'd like that, Harry. It's been a fun night!" She told him. "But I'm curious, why did you take me here instead of somewhere in the wizarding world?" She asked. As she saw his face fall, she tried to reword her question. "I mean, I'm having a wonderful time! I love it here! I'm just wondering what made you think of this place."

Harry gave her a small smile. "Well, I didn't want to go anywhere in the wizarding world because… well, I don't want to be seen as a hero." He told her. "For once, I don't want things to revolve around me. I didn't want to be 'The Chosen One' or 'The Boy Who Lived' tonight. I'm just a guy who wants to spend some time with the girl he loves."

Ginny's face spread into a wide grin at his words, and she had to suppress a genuine 'Awwww!' at his words. She leaned across the table to plant a short kiss on his lips. "I love you, Harry."

"I love you too." He said with a smile. He got up from his seat and held out his hand to her, which she gratefully took. They began to walk towards one of the other attractions, glad to be enjoying each other's company.

The last remaining bit of funnel cake laid forgotten.


	5. Moments Like This

It was the hottest day of the summer, and the residents of the Burrow were sweltering in the scorching heat. The air reeked of sweat and humidity, and there was an unusual state of inactivity around the house. All of the windows were left hanging open in hopes to tempt a lingering breeze inside. Everyone sat a fair distance apart from one another, fanning themselves with old issues of Mrs. Weasley's _Witch Weekly _magazines.

Harry and Ginny sat in a secluded corner, trying to cool off. Ginny's red tresses stuck out of her head in huge, frizzy clumps. Harry's dark hair was matted to his forehead with sweat. Their clothes were damp with sweat as well. They were busy exchanging ideas to try to stay cool.

"Hmmm… Florean Fortescue's is still out of business." Ginny sighed. "Maybe his son will take over the shop soon. I could go for some ice cream right now!" She exclaimed with a frown. She reached for her water bottle only to find it empty. She groaned, not wanting to get up for a new one.

Harry reached his arm over her and aimed his wand into the empty plastic container. "Aguamenti." He said, twirling his wand. Instantaneously, it was filled with ice cold water, condensation dripping down the side of the bottle.

Ginny smiled at him. "Thanks, Harry." She said gratefully. She took a sip of water, but the bottle accidentally fell from her sweaty palms, spilling half of it onto herself and Harry. "Dammit!" She exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, Harry!"

Harry shook his head. "It's no problem, Gin." He assured her. "It actually feels good in this heat!"

Ginny began to clean up the spill before an idea popped into her head. "Harry, I know what we can do to cool down!" She exclaimed. "Go upstairs, and change into some shorts and a t-shirt." She told him. "We're going swimming!"

Harry grinned and kissed her cheek. "Great idea!" He said happily, his voice practically dripping with excitement.

The two of them ran upstairs to their rooms and changed. Harry pulled on his swimming trunks as Ginny chose a green tankini, somewhat nervously. This was the first time Harry would see her in a bathing suit, after all. She tried to shrug the thought off as she pulled her clothes on over her swimsuit. She met Harry downstairs a few minutes afterwards, trembling with excitement. She took Harry's hand and pulled him outside, leading him away from the Burrow.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the lake that she and her brothers used to swim in as kids. Her father had used magic to create a wooden pier that extended a fair distance into the water. It was perfect to do cannonballs and flips off of. She grinned and was about to take off her t-shirt and jump in, but another sight caught her eyes first.

Hanging from a nearby tree was a rope. She and her brothers had used it to swing into the water when they were younger. She smiled, grasping it between her fingers. "I can't believe this is still here!" She laughed.

"Do you think it's safe?" Harry asked. He wanted to make sure it was secure enough, but truthfully, he was eager to try it out as well.

Ginny gave it a few firm tugs, and she hung from it for a little bit, seeing if it would support her. "It seems like it's in good shape." She insisted with a smile. "Do you want to try it?"

Harry grinned. "Of course!" He exclaimed, squeezing it tightly. He cautiously swung around on it a bit before he was confident enough to jump from it. He discarded his t-shirt on the grassy ground before he gripped the rope and stepped back a few feet. Breaking into a run, he let his feet leave the ground, and he swung through the air, letting out a loud whoop. Once he was swinging close to the water, he released the rope and soared through the air towards the lake. He cut through the freezing water and swam around underwater, thankful to be out of the burning sun. When he began to run out of breath, he let his head break the surface of the water and grinned. "Come on, Gin. The water's great!"

Ginny grinned and slipped off her clothes, leaving her in her swimsuit. She gripped the rope tightly and took a running start just as Harry did, letting herself fall into the water. The iciness of the water attacked her skin, but she welcomed it happily. She swam back up to the surface and took a breath as she reached the top. "That was wonderful!" She exclaimed. "It's almost even better than I remember it!"

Harry smiled. "Who's idea was it to tie that rope up there?" He asked curiously.

Ginny was silent for a moment, but she gave him a sad little smile. "It was Fred's idea, actually." She told him quietly.

Harry wanted to kick himself. "Ginny, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No, Harry, it's fine." She assured him, moving closer to him. "I don't want to bury my memories of him anymore. It's too much for me to handle." She told him. "I want to remember all the happy times we spent with him."

Harry lifted his hand to stroke his thumb against her soft cheek. "I'm glad you're feeling better." He said with a small smile.

Ginny wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. "You taught me to move on with life and be happy again." She insisted. "I'd still be miserable if you hadn't been here to catch me when I fell."

Harry smiled and kissed the top of her head, holding her against his chest in a tight embrace. They just stayed that way for a moment, appreciating the comfort, but eventually, Ginny came back to herself. "C'mon, Harry. We're here to have fun. That's what Fred would have wanted." She said with a smile.

Harry grinned. "Alright." He said, climbing out of the lake, dripping wet. He made his way to the wooden pier and stood on the grass behind it. He ran across the length of the pier and jumped when he reached the end, tucking his knees and doing a flip before he fell into the water.

Ginny laughed as he swam back to the top. "Show off!" She exclaimed, punching his arm.

"I'd still like to see you top that." Harry challenged her with a grin.

Ginny raised her eyebrow and climbed out of the lake, making her way to the pier. "Alright, Mr. Potter, you asked for it." She said mockingly, standing at the very end of the pier, letting her heels hang off the edge above the water. She lifted her arms up and arched her back as she dove backwards, tucking her knees and doing a perfect backflip, ending it in a shallow dive.

Harry's jaw hung open in awe as she swam back to the top of the lake and grinned at him. "Wow, Gin!" He exclaimed. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Ron taught me, actually." She said with a chuckle. "I'd like to see you do _that_!"

Harry's eyes widened. "You just wait until next time. I'll get Ron to teach me, and then we'll be even!" He told her with a serious expression.

Ginny smirked and swam towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We'll see about that." She said with a grin before kissing him.

Harry smiled against her lips. This was what he had fought for during the war. During Voldemort's reign, carefree moments like these were rare to come by. He hoped that he and Ginny's lives would be filled with plenty of moments like these.

Because these were the moments that he lived for.


	6. Ginny's Gift

It was seven in the morning on July 31st, and Ginny and Hermione were busy down in the kitchen. They were trying to create a spectacular cake for Harry's birthday celebration before the rest of the family awoke. So far, it was coming along slowly, but surely. They were certain that they could finish before Harry got up. They had just pulled the cake from the oven , and after it cooled, they only had to frost it. They had a good idea in mind, and they already had the utensils necessary to create the cake. They were going to decorate it to look like a Quidditch field!

It was a grueling process, and it took them nearly an hour to construct, but they managed to finish it and hide it in the back of the fridge just as Ron stumbled down the stairs.

"What are you two doing up already?" He questioned, stifling a great yawn. Then, he spotted all of the various mixing bowls and containers of frosting. He smirked. "Harry's birthday cake, right?"

"My what?" came a confused voice from the other room. It was Harry!

Hermione and Ginny gasped, but Hermione quickly pulled out her wand and pointed it at the cluttered table top. "Evanesco!" She hurriedly whispered, causing the mess to vanish into thin air. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione exchanged wide grins just before Harry entered the kitchen.

"What are you lot doing?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing. Ginny and I were just talking about girl things." Hermione covered. Harry raised an eyebrow, but he seemed otherwise unfazed.

Ginny smiled widely at him and rushed to give him a tight hug. "Happy birthday, Harry!" She exclaimed, giving him a quick kiss.

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Gin!" He replied, kissing her cheek.

Hermione was next. "Happy birthday!" She said, giving him a hug as well. "Eighteen, huh? Now you're legal in the muggle world too!" She reminded him.

"Yeah, isn't that a thrill?" Ron chimed in, rolling his eyes with a cheeky grin plastered on his freckled face. "Happy birthday, mate!" He said to his best friend, clapping him on the back.

"Thanks, Hermione, Ron!" Harry responded appreciatively, nodding at each of them in turn.

Hermione pointed her wand towards the stairs and said "Accio present!" At her words, a brightly wrapped package zoomed towards her and landed in her awaiting hands. She handed it to Harry with a smile. "Open mine first!" She pleaded.

Harry took the parcel from her, shaking his head with a small smile. "Hermione, you really didn't have to get me anything." He sighed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, just open it." She insisted.

Harry grinned and tore the wrapping paper off. He opened the small box to find a wristwatch.

"Say one of our names to it." Hermione urged him. "If you speak someone's name to it, it will show their exact location."

Harry obeyed and held the watch up to his face. "Hermione Granger." He said to the watch. Before his eyes, the face of the clock began to swim into an image of Hermione. He looked to the real Hermione and then to the picture of Hermione, and he realized that it was showing him an image of that exact moment. The real Hermione smiled and waved before him, and the image of her on the watch did the same. Hermione reached over and pressed a button on the side of the watch, changing it back into a regular clock.

Harry grinned. "It's brilliant, Hermione!" He exclaimed gratefully, giving her a hug. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Harry." Hermione said with a smile.

Ron came to stand beside Hermione, and he held out a bag to Harry as well. "Open mine next, mate."

Harry smiled and looked into the large bag. There was a huge assortment of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes inside.

"Since I've been helping George out at the shop, we put together a bunch of goodies for you. Thought you might need to restock your supply." He figured, shrugging his shoulders.

Harry grinned. "I know what I'm going to be doing for the rest of the summer." He laughed. "Thanks, Ron!"

"No problem." Ron said with a smile.

Ginny smiled as Harry examined his new gifts, and she came to stand beside him. "I want to give you my gift later, okay?" She told him, kissing his cheek.

Harry smiled. "Okay, Gin. I'm sure I'll love it."

"I hope so!" She said with a laugh. "I'm not allowed to do magic outside of school yet, so I had to make it simple."

"I don't care how magical or fancy it is. I'll love it just because it's from you." He told her, giving her a quick kiss.

Ron promptly turned away, walking into the kitchen to eat breakfast. He knew that Harry and his sister were dating now, and although he had gotten over the initial shock of it, he still wasn't quite used to watching them snogging.

Ginny laughed and laid her head on Harry's shoulder. "C'mon, let's go get something to eat." She suggested.

"Sounds great to me. I'm starving." Harry agreed.

The four of them prepared eggs and bacon for themselves, eating quickly before the rest of the family awoke and discovered them eating breakfast without them. Once they had finished, Ginny turned to Harry. "Hey, let's go up to my room so I can get your gift." She suggested.

"Sure, let's go." He agreed. The two of them left the table while Ron and Hermione began a game of wizard chess in the living room.

The pair went into Ginny's room, and Ginny ducked under the bed, retrieving a wrapped present. "It's really nothing much, and I know you already have one, but I wanted to give you one of my own." She told him.

Harry smiled and ripped the paper off. He pulled out a tightly bound book and grinned. It was a photo album, and from the looks of it, Ginny had made it herself. He flipped to the first page and grinned. It was a bunch of moving photographs from his first year at Hogwarts, glued onto the colorful pages with care. Ron must have given the pictures to her. It was mostly photos of himself, Ron, and Hermione, but there were a few shots of other Gryffindors: Neville, Seamus, and Dean, for example.

For a few more pages in the scrapbook, there were pictures from his future years at Hogwarts, but most of them were only from his second, third, and fourth year. After Voldemort's return, no one was really in high enough spirits to take many pictures. It seemed pointless to document such a difficult time in their lives. There were a couple photos, however, of Harry and Ginny from Harry's sixth year while they were dating.

On the next few pages that followed, there were dozens upon dozens of photos from the summer vacations he had spent with the Weasleys at the Burrow. There were pictures from the Quidditch World Cup, of course, as well as shots of them just playing Quidditch in the backyard or playing Exploding Snap on the living room floor. Harry found a picture he especially liked of himself, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny engaged in a competitive pillow fight. He laughed out loud at the memories it brought back.

After this, there were a few black pages ahead for future memories, although it seemed as if more pages could be added easily.

Harry turned to Ginny and grinned. "Ginny, it's wonderful!" He exclaimed appreciatively, embracing her. "Thank you!" He added, leaning in for a kiss.

Ginny smiled and held him there as he began to pull away. She touched her hand to his cheek and smiled against his lips, thinking there was no way this day could get any better.

When they broke apart, Ginny smiled back at him. "I'm glad you like it, Harry! I put a lot of thought into what to get you, and I couldn't really think of any decent non-magical gifts I could give you."

Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "This is better than any flashy magical contraption you could've enchanted." He assured her. "I can tell you put a lot of work into this."

"Oh, I did!" Ginny exclaimed. "Hermione taught me a few muggle techniques. Apparently, her mother loves to make scrapbooks, and she taught Hermione how to make these little paper designs. I think it turned out rather well!"

"I'm going to keep it forever." Harry assured her. "And we can keep adding photos to it whenever we want to!"

Ginny leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Sounds like a good idea to me." She agreed. "I love you, Harry."

"I love you too." He replied, laying his head atop hers, planting a kiss on the top of her head. They stayed like that for a little bit, appreciating each other's company. Harry couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate the first birthday he had spent in a world free from Voldemort.

As long as he was with Ginny and his friends, he had all he needed.


	7. Number 4, Privet Drive

"Trust me, Ginny. You don't want to meet them."

"Yes, I do!" Ginny insisted. "Harry, you're my boyfriend. I want to see where you grew up!"

Harry shook his head. He was going to the Dursleys' house once more to pick up his possessions that remained there, and for reasons he could not fathom, Ginny wanted to accompany him. "They're rude, snobby, and they're just terrible people. I'm just going to pick up the rest of my things and leave right away." He told her.

Ginny huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "Harry Potter, I am going with you, and there will be no more arguing the point." She insisted, gripping his arm tightly. "C'mon, apparate us there." She begged.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, but we're only going to be there for five minutes. Then we're leaving that place, and we're never going back."

Ginny nodded her head. "I understand. Now let's go!" She replied impatiently.

Harry let out a sigh and concentrated on the familiar cupboard under the stairs. It was the only place he could apparate where muggles would not see them. "Duck you head. It's going to be a little cramped." He warned her. Once she had done so, he apparated into the small space with a _pop!_

Ginny opened her eyes and looked around. "Where are we?" She asked curiously.

Harry groped in the dark for the single light bulb on the ceiling and pulled the chain, filling the area with light. Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. "Harry, why are we in a cupboard?" She asked.

Harry gave her a small smile. "I figured we could apparate in here without any muggles seeing us." He explained. "And… well, I lived down here for most of my childhood." He told her. "For nearly nine years of my life, I had to sleep in here."

Ginny's jaw hung open in shock. "Harry, please tell me you're joking." She pleaded. "That's terrible! What kind of people would make a little boy sleep in a closet?"

Harry shrugged. "I tried to warn you." He sighed, groping for the knob on the door. He led her out of the cupboard cautiously, looking around the corner to see if his uncle, aunt, or cousin were watching. "Okay, c'mon." He whispered, grabbing her hand and leading her to the door. He knocked on the door, and then opened and closed it to make it sound as if he had used the door to enter the house instead of apparation.

Soon enough, he heard a scuttling sound as Aunt Petunia's high heeled shoes clicked across the linoleum. "Who is it?" She called pleasantly, but her face immediately fell when she saw the pair of them. "Harry?" She said with a small gasp.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia, it's me." He said, trying to coax a small smile, but it looked more like a forced grimace.

Ginny wanted to make a good first impression, so she smiled genuinely at Harry's aunt. "Hello, Mrs. Dursley." She greeted her, holding out her hand. "I'm Ginny Weasley."

Petunia hesitated for a moment before shaking Ginny's hand as quickly as possible, as if she might bite. "How do you do?" She asked in a slightly choked voice.

"I'm quite fine." Ginny replied. "It's very nice to meet you."

Harry noticed that his aunt looked considerably paler by this point. "Excuse me for a moment." She uttered quickly, hurrying up the staircase. "Vernon!" Harry heard her hiss in a hushed tone. "Harry is at the door… and he's brought one of those redheads with them!"

There was a moment of shocked silence before Harry heard two more pairs of footsteps hurrying down the stairs along with Aunt Petunia's, although the two that followed sounded considerably heavier and clumsier. She reappeared before them, followed by Uncle Vernon and Dudley. Dudley simply looked shocked to see that Harry was still alive, but Uncle Vernon's face began to turn its signature shade of purple.

"Why are _you_ here, boy?" He demanded. "You ought to be… somewhere in _your _world!"

"I came to pick up the rest of my things that were left here." Harry replied calmly. He wasn't going to let Uncle Vernon get to him today. He didn't want him in a rage while Ginny was here.

Uncle Vernon fumed for a second before he realized Ginny was there. "Who the devil are you?" He asked, his voice dripping with contempt.

Ginny tried to ignore his lack of manners and held out her hand. "I'm Ginny Weasley, sir." She introduced herself.

Uncle Vernon just stared at her hand as if it were a piranha. "Why are you here with _him?_" He demanded, jerking his head towards his nephew.

"Harry is my boyfriend, sir, and I wanted to see the place where he grew up." She explained. "You have a very nice home."

Petunia gave her a small smile at this comment. "Thank you." She replied quietly.

Dudley's eyes still seemed to pop from his head. He clumsily stumbled down the stairs in front of Harry. "Hullo." He muttered, greeting his cousin unenthusiastically.

"Hello, Dudley." Harry mumbled back. He wasn't sure what to think. After all, his cousin had been grateful to him before his departure last year for the time he had saved him from dementors, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to forgive him for the previous years that Dudley had spent tormenting him.

Harry looked over at Ginny, and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. "Dudley, this is my girlfriend, Ginny." He introduced them.

Ginny smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Dudley."

Dudley seemed somewhat starstruck. "Nice to meet you, too." He spoke somewhat dreamily.

Harry cleared his throat loudly and wrapped his arm around Ginny's waist, accentuating the fact that she was _his._ "C'mon, let's go." He suggested, pulling Ginny through the Dursley's living room and up the stairs.

He found the door to his old bedroom and opened it, shocked to see how little it had changed. The very few posters and banners he had owned were still hanging on the putrid green walls, and all of his remaining clothes were still folded in the small dresser against the wall. He ducked down to the floor and checked the loose floorboard, surprised to see that all of his hidden possessions were still there. He grinned and turned back to Ginny. "Well, this is my old bedroom." He said simply, gesturing with his arms for effect. "It's really not much."

Ginny looked around the small room and smiled. "So, when did they gain the sense to give you a bedroom to sleep in instead of a closet?" She asked.

"After my first year at Hogwarts." He answered. "I think they were scared that I might hex them if they didn't give me a bedroom."

Ginny sighed. "I wish you hadn't had to live here." She lamented. "If only Dumbledore had given you to a Wizarding family willing to take care of you."

"It wouldn't have been safe." Harry explained. "Voldemort's remaining followers would have tracked me down."

Ginny shrugged and nodded. "Well, let's get your stuff." She suggested

Harry conjured a large moving box and set it in the middle of his room. With that, they began to pack all of Harry's possessions: Clothes, banners, posters, textbooks, and whatever else was stashed under the loose floorboard. As Harry dug through his old dresser, he grinned as he found the old birthday cards and gifts he had received from his friends throughout the years. Instead of packing them in the box, he stashed them neatly in his pocket, taking every precaution he could so that he didn't lose them.

Ginny picked up a picture frame sitting on Harry's dresser, smiling as she recognized the shot. It was a moving photo of the Weasleys, plus Harry and Hermione, the summer that they went to the Quidditch World Cup. They were gathered in front of the tent that her father had borrowed from his friend, Perkins. "I love this picture." She commented, holding up the frame for Harry to see.

Harry grinned widely. "So do I." He agreed. "Whenever I had to come back here for the summer holidays, I look at that photo every night to remind myself that I would see you all soon." He told her. "You wouldn't believe how much I missed you all."

"We missed you too, Harry. Just knowing that you were stuck here of all places… it only made us miss you more." She said, touching his face. "Ron almost tried to floo here in secret, but then he remembered that they had an electric fireplace." She giggled.

Harry laughed. "That wouldn't have ended well."

"It certainly wouldn't have." She agreed. "I'm just happy that you're staying with us now."

"It means I don't have to spend the summer away from you." Harry said with a smile, cupping his hand around her cheek.

Ginny blushed and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "I'm glad." She said with a smile. "Let's finish packing your things so that we can get out of here."

"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Harry chuckled, making his way back to the dresser and throwing the rest of his clothes in the box. After his dresser was cleaned out, he hurried to the side table beside the bed. He wrapped the picture of the Weasleys, him, and Hermione in one of his shirts and set it in the box, along with the photo album that Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year. He was about to leave before he remembered one other possession that he could not leave behind. He lifted up the old pillow on his bed and retrieved another old photograph. It was a moving picture of his parents dancing, smiling happily up at him. He smiled back at them for a moment before he put it in his pockets along with the old birthday cards.

Harry turned around and looked for more things to pack, but the room was stripped completely clean. He closed the flaps on the box and pointed his wand towards it, muttering a charm that instantly transported it to his room at the Burrow. He smiled at Ginny and grabbed her hand, leading her back down the stairs.

"Goodbye, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon." Harry called. "Goodbye, Dudley."

As he was about to apparate them back to the Burrow, Dudley responded. "Wait, Harry!"

Harry opened his eyes to see Dudley hurrying towards them as fast as his chubby legs could carry him. "What is it?" Harry asked.

"I… I'm sorry for the way my mother and father have treated you." He apologized. "And the way I treated you for all those years."

Harry was surprised that he was admitting to all of the rude things he had done over the years, but he was glad at the same time. "I forgive you, Dudley." He replied with a small smile.

Dudley smiled. "Well, that's a relief." He said quietly, looking down at his feet. "I thought I was beyond unforgivable."

Harry shook his head, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Dudley, I forgive you because you've changed, and you had the courage to say you were sorry."

Dudley grinned. "Well, I really meant it." He promised.

"I know you did." Harry responded.

Dudley nodded. He turned to Ginny. "It was very nice meeting you too, Ginny." He said.

"It was my pleasure." Ginny replied with a small smile.

Then, at that moment, the three of them heard Uncle Vernon calling from the kitchen. "Dudley, are they gone yet?" He boomed.

Dudley sighed. "You two had better go before he comes out and explodes." He warned them.

Harry nodded in agreement. "I'd have to agree with you on that one." He said, grabbing Ginny's hand.

Dudley gave them a little wave as he headed back into the kitchen. "Bye, Harry."

"See you later." Harry said with a wave, apparating quickly back to the Burrow.

As they arrived back in Harry's room at the Burrow, the box of his possessions sat waiting for them. Harry turned to Ginny and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I told you it wasn't going to be an exciting visit."

Ginny shook her head. "I disagree." She said. "You resolved the tensions you had with your cousin. I think that was an event worth witnessing."

Harry shrugged. "I suppose so." He chuckled. "Well, at least I didn't have to face my aunt and uncle by myself."

"That's why I wanted to come in the first place." Ginny insisted, pulling him in for a kiss. "I'll always be here for you."

Harry grinned. "Same here." He replied, letting his lips meet hers again in celebration. He never had to go back to Privet Drive again.

He with here with Ginny, and he was finally at home.


	8. Midnight Ride

Ginny sighed and lounged in a chair on the patio in the back yard of the burrow. In five minutes, it would be August 11th, her seventeenth birthday at last! She didn't know why she was still awake, but for some reason, she was too anxious to sleep. September 1st was drawing closer, and she would have to leave home for her seventh year. After what had recently occurred during her sixth year, she was nervous to return to Hogwarts and see the place where the terrible war had ended just mere months ago. She didn't want to see the place where her brother and her friends had lost their lives. Hogwarts used to be a safe haven to her whenever she was troubled, a place where she could escape to the common room when she was stressed and seek the comfort of her friends. It wasn't the same anymore. She now thought of it similar to a deserted battleground.

She took another glance at her wristwatch and counted down the seconds until midnight. "Three… two… one." She muttered. "Happy birthday to me."

She closed her eyes for a minute, letting the fact that she was seventeen sink in. When she opened her eyes again, she let out a small gasp of surprise. Harry seemed to be floating in midair before her… upside down. She looked up and realized that he was on a broom, hanging in front of her as he grasped the broom with his knees. In his hand, he held a small bouquet of flowers. "Happy birthday!" He greeted her with a mischievous grin. "Did I scare you?"

Ginny laughed and tried to catch her breath. "Blimey, Harry, of course you scared me!" She chuckled, taking the flowers from his hand, inhaling their fragrance. "They're beautiful, Harry. Thank you!" She exclaimed, leaning forward to bestow a kiss upon his lips.

"You're welcome." Harry replied, gripping the top of his broom and flipping it upright. He hovered just above the grass and held his hand out to her. "C'mon, let's take a ride." He suggested.

Ginny took his hand and leaped onto the broom behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso as he took off into the starry sky. Once they were a considerable height off the ground, Harry slowed down and flew smoothly ahead. He turned his head towards Ginny and smiled. "You looked troubled, Gin." He observed. "Before you saw me, it seemed like something was bothering you."

Ginny gave a small sigh. "It's nothing, really." She insisted. "I don't want to bore you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Ginny, you could never bore me." He assured her, bringing the broom to a steady stop so that they hung suspended in the air. "What's wrong?"

Ginny shrugged. "I'm just worried about going back to Hogwarts this year." She spoke quietly. "I don't want to remember… what happened there."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I know." He whispered. "I know it's going to be hard to go back, but everything's safe now." He reminded her. "Hogwarts can be a home again."

Ginny nodded again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Hogwarts would only be a vicious reminder of the brutal death and destruction that had occurred.

Harry knew she was still sad, and he figured it would be much easier to comfort her if they weren't hanging fifty feet in the air. He lowered them gently, but quickly, down to the grass below. As their feet touched the ground, Harry hopped down off the broom and pulled Ginny off after him. He held her in his arms, just wanting to make her feel better.

Ginny was grateful for the comfort he provided her whenever she was troubled about something. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head against his chest. They stood in silence for a minute, just appreciating the fact that they had both survived the war. They were lucky to be here together.

Ginny looked up at him with a small smile. "I wish you were coming with me." She sighed.

Harry nodded. "I know, and I wish I were coming too, but Kingsley wants me to start Auror training as soon as possible." He explained. "There's always Christmas though, and I'll come visit you in Hogsmeade whenever I can." He assured her. "Maybe I'll even try to talk McGonagall into letting me come visit the common room sometime." He said with a wink.

Ginny let out a small laugh and leaned closer to him. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you just as much, if not more." He told her. "At least you'll have your studies to keep you occupied."

"What a relief!" Ginny said, obvious sarcasm in her tone of voice.

Harry chuckled. "I'm almost going to miss all the homework." He reminisced.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "When you come visit me, you can do it for me then!" She offered.

"Ha ha." Harry said dryly before laughing for real.

Ginny giggled and snuggled her head back into his chest. "How do you always know exactly what to say and do to make me feel better?"

Harry shrugged. "We've known each other for years. I guess I just know you all too well." He said with a smile, giving her a kiss.

Ginny smiled against his lips before they pulled away. "It just means you're an amazing boyfriend, Harry." She told him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He replied. "Let's go inside. It's past midnight, and you've got a big day tomorrow!"

Ginny hid her head in her hands. "Don't tell me that mum's planning a party." She moaned.

"What else did you expect?" Harry responded with a smirk.

Ginny gave him a small smile, taking his hand. They walked inside and stopped at the foot of the stairs. Harry took her face in his hands and gave her a lingering kiss, which made Ginny go a little lightheaded.

When they pulled away, Ginny smiled and picked up the bouquet he had given her off of the coffee table. "Thanks, Harry. For everything."

Harry returned the smile warmly. "You're welcome." He replied, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep."

"Good night." Ginny said, heading back up the stairs. As she laid in her bed, she thought about their future together and smiled as she dreamt. In her dreams that night, she imagined that Harry was presenting her with a diamond engagement ring.

She just knew that one day that dream would become a reality.


End file.
